• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2013

Objective: The study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of Ziziphus mucronata (ZM) fruit extract. Methods: The different types of fruit extract were prepared by soaking the dry powdered fruit in different solvents followed by rotary evaporation. Each extract was tested for its phenol content and antioxidant activities. An in vivo study was performed in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Thirty adult male SD rats (aged 21 weeks) were divided into six groups of five rats each and treated as follows: The normal control (NC) received distilled water while the dimethoate control (DC) received 6 mg/kg.bw.day-1 dimethoate dissolved in distilled water. The experimental groups E1, E2, E3, and E0 received dimethoate (6 mg/kg.bw) + ZMFM (100 mg/kg.bw-1), dimethoate (6 mg/kg.bw) + ZMFM (200 mg/kg.bw-1), dimethoate (6 mg/kg.bw) + ZMFM (300 mg/kg.bw-1), and ZMFM (300 mg/kg.bw-1) only. Both the normal control and the dimethoate control groups were used to compare the results. After 90 days, rats were sacrificed, blood was collected for biochemical assays, and livers were harvested for histological study. Results: High phenol content was estimated, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl radical (DPPH) spectrophotometric, thin layer chromatography (TLC) and 2, 2-Azobis-3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assays showed a high antioxidant activity among the extracts. The preventive effects observed in the E1, E2 and E3 groups proved that the extract could prevent dimethoate toxicity by maintaining normal reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin C and E, superoxide dismutase, catalase, cholineasterase and lipid profiles. The preventive effect was observed to be dose dependent. The EO group showed no extract-induced toxicity. Histological observations agreed with the results obtained in the biochemical studies. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that ZM methanol fruit extract is capable of attenuating dimethoate-induced toxicity because of its high antioxidant activity.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.175-186
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• 2020

This study approaches, from a floristic perspective, the under-researched human-primate competition for forest resources. Investigating the human impact on fruit trees edible for Kinda baboons (Papio kindae Lönnberg), we have collated dietary data on a free-ranging troop and floristic information on two forest sites of the Kundelungu National Park (KNP), Democratic Republic of Congo: the relatively intact Integral Zone (IZ) and the human-disturbed Annex Zone (AZ). Trees with DBH≥10 cm have been identified, counted and measured throughout 22 sample plots (11 per site), each measuring 1,000 ㎡. A total of seven woody species whose fruits are eaten by Kinda baboons were recorded. Four of them, namely the Sycamore fig Ficus sycomorus L., the Mobola plum Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth, the Kudu berry Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax and the Monkey orange Strychnos innocua Delile were found in both sites, while the Large-leaved jackal-berry Diosyros kirkii Hiern and the Buffalo thorn Ziziphus mucronata Willd. were exclusively in the IZ, and Strychnos cocculoides Baker only in the AZ. Compared to the IZ, the AZ had lower values of stem density, species richness and diversity indices, suggesting a negative human impact on baboon-edible trees, in line with our hypothesis. Moreover, as was expected, human activities decreased the abundance of larger baboon-edible fruit trees. However, the size-class distribution of P. curatellifolia depicted a reverse J-curve in the AZ. The abundant younger P. curatellifolia trees remaining in that human-disturbed site constitute an important food stock for baboons, if well preserved. These results also illustrate the critical role of rangers' patrols, formerly more frequent (and presumably efficient) in the IZ than in the AZ of the Park. Their implications on baboons and miombo forests are discussed from both the research and conservation perspectives.